Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale
For over a decade Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale has established itself as Canada’s premier gospel group. Their name speaks volumes about a journey which has been characterized by struggle, longevity, and untold blessings—the stuff of unshakeable faith.

In the aftermath of a terrible car accident in 1990, Sharon Riley was left to reevaluate her life. “It was devastating. I woke up in the hospital, and it was a total miracle of God that I even survived,” she said. “I was totally unable to walk. Both legs were severely damaged. I had to learn to sit up, remain sitting, stand up and eventually walk again.”

Although she was physically broken, Sharon’s spirit—her faith—would not be diminished. While still recovering, she began to take part in a Toronto-based gospel ensemble that would eventually become known as Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale. “The core group was a mixture of friends I’d worked with before, and other talented people who heard about the choir and wanted to participate,” said Sharon. Still recovering from her accident, Sharon drew strength from the group and she was genuinely honoured by their willingness to look past her disability: “I started the group when I couldn’t even walk and watched the evolution over the years into a successful group.”

Of course this evolution was not an overnight process, and much like Sharon’s recovery, it has been a steady progression. From those initial days with Sharon in a wheelchair, until the present day where she can be seen exuberantly sashaying across the stage aided only by a cane, Faith Chorale has seen its share of success and change. The milestone of being Canada’s first gospel group to sign an international contract is amplified by the long list of awards and achievements the choir has amassed in over a decade of groundbreaking work. It has graced both the big screen and small screen, appearing in the blockbuster film The Blues Brothers 2000 and HBO’s Light to the Power of Two. Working alongside Paul Schaffer, Sharon co-arranged the soundtrack “John The Revelator” for The Blues Brothers 2000, and she along with the choir appeared on the Grammy Award-nominated soundtrack alongside the likes of:

• Aretha Franklin
• Erykah Badu
• James Brown
• Eric Clapton

“Our goal is not to have a good performance,” says manager Lloyd Lawrence. “It’s to broaden into a ministry and win people to God.” Indeed, the group’s first priority is the winning of souls, and its performance history is a shining example of how they have broadened their ministry to save souls, and change lives beyond the confines of the church. Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale’s performance history includes appearances such as:

Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale also made a monumental appearance at the 1999 Grammy Awards, where it provided choral support to “Shenandoah”, the lead single from the project Long Journey Home. The album was recorded by the acclaimed Celtic sensation The Chieftains. The work of Faith Chorale, along with Van Morrison, garnered a nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Song. Riding high on the success of its Grammy appearance, Sharon Riley & Faith Chorale would receive a Juno Award for Best Gospel Album in that very same year.

But what is success or evolution without change? Original members have left, new members have joined, and a new youthful pulse has been added to the group. Founding members have grown older, but after 14 years their enthusiasm has not diminished. “I believe there’s many more years for Faith Chorale. It’s not over; it’s just the beginning,” says one long-time choir member. In the face of change one thing remains the same: Faith Chorale’s foundation. “I felt that I had gotten to the point when my foundation had crumbled, but I felt that God reminded me that He was my foundation,” says Sharon. On September 30, 2006 Sharon received the “COURAGE” Award from the Canada’s acclaimed MAJA Awards for her courage in continuing on even the face of a life changing accident.